Clothes-pounder.



Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

HENRY A. FORKNER, 0F JOPJ'iIN, MISSOURI.

I GLOTI-IES-IPOUNDER.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Application filed January 26, 1911. Serial No. 604,905

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. FoRKNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joplin, in. the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Founders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes pounders.

One object of the invention is to provide a pounder of this character having an improved means for providing an increased and more uniform pressure and suction to the clothes.

Another object is to provide a clothes pounder having arranged therein a valve adapted to permit the escape of the air when the pounder is forced downwardly and to prevent the air from entering the same when the pounder is lifted.

A further object is to provide a clothes pounder which will be strong and durable in construction, eflicient in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel fea tures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a pounder constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the pounder.

My improved clothes pounder comprises a conical or inverted funnel shaped hollow body portion 1, which may be of any suit able size and is preferably formed of sheet metal and has on its lower edge an annular bead 2 whereby said edge is strengthened and prevented from cutting or tearing the clothes. In the body portion 1 of the pounder a suitable distance above the lower edge thereof is formed a transversely disposed partition or diaphragm 3, said diaphragm being of flat conical shape or inclined from its center toward its outer edge where the same joins the inner side of the body of the pounder.

In the upper portion of the pounder and projecting through its upper end is a tapered handle socket 4:, the inner end of which is secured to the center of the partition or which is held in place and guided into engagement with the passage 6 by the tapered lower end of the handle socket. In one side of the socket 4 is formed an air discharging passage 8 and in the adjacent side of the body portion of the pounder is formed a corresponding air discharging passage 9. By means of the air discharging passages 6, 8 and 9 the air is permitted to escape from beneath the diaphragm or partition 3 when the pounder is brought down into engagement with the clothes in the tub and by means of the ball valve 7 the air is prevented from rentering the space beneath the partition when the pounder is lifted.

Arranged in the lower portion of the pounder below the diaphragm or partition 3 and secured to the under side of the latter is a spirally arranged flange 10 which increases in width from its inner toward its outer end as shown. The outer end of the flange 10 is approximately the same width as the adjacent lower portion of the side of the plunger to which it is secured in any suitable manner. The flange 10 when thus constructed and arranged practically forms a partition and provides a spiral passage in the lower portion of the pounder. By pro viding the flange 10 and constructing the same as herein shown and described the pounder has been found to impart a more uniform pressure and suction to the clothes when forced down and lifted from the same. When the plunger is forced down upon the clothes the water is forced through the same, and the dirt driven out and when lifted from the clothes the suction will draw the clothes upwardly thus loosening the same and filling them with water which is again pressed out with the next downward movement of the pounder. By repeating this operation the dirt will be quickly and thoroughly removed from the clothes.

While I have herein shown and described the pounder as being provided with an air controlling valve I do not desire to be understood as limiting the pounder to the use of a valve as the pounder may be eflectually used without the same.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation'of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A clothes pounder comprising a hollow conically shaped body portion, a conically shaped transversely disposed partition arranged in the lower portion thereof, said partition having formed therein an air discharging passage, a tapered handle socket arranged in the upper portion of the pounder and secured at its inner end to the upper side of said partition around the air passage therein, said socket having formed therein an air passage, a valve arranged in said socket and adapted to open and close the passage in said partition and a spirally formed flange arranged in the lower portion of the pounder, said flange increasing in width from its inner toward its outer end.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

c HENRY A. FORKNER.

Witnesses:

N. T. ALLIsON, SAM JOHNSON.

copies of this 'peitentinay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

